If Tomorrow Never Comes
by notjaneausten
Summary: Slightly AU, the Governor has left Woodbury and the prison has taken on a number of stragglers in from the town. Daryl has come to realise just how much Carol means to him, but will he be able to reveal his feelings for her? Rated K for language
1. Chapter 1

If Tomorrow Never Comes

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters from The Walking Dead; I have merely twisted them around for my own amusement.

"Hey, Carol! Would you mind watching Judith for me for a bit after dinner? I want to take Carl out for a walk give him a little one on one time…" Rick Grimes caught up with Carol Peletier as she walked through the cell block after pulling a double shift duty up on the watch tower. They had all been extra vigilant over the last few weeks after the events at Woodbury had cost them more than they had bargained for. They had lost Andrea in the fight as well as Daryl's brother, Merle. No one from the original Atlanta group had expected to see Merle again but for the sake of his brother had tried to accept back in. After what Merle had done to Glenn and Maggie no one wanted him staying at the prison, Daryl had even thought of going off alone with Merle but then the proverbial crap hit the fan at Woodbury and Merle had sacrificed himself to save Daryl. Ever since they received word that the so called 'Governor' of Woodbury had escaped the melee, Rick had stepped up security at the prison, even more so now that the refugees from the town had been drifting in seeking a place of refuge.

Daryl, Michonne and Tyreese, their best fighters had been forced to go out on a much needed hunt for fresh food leaving just Rick, Maggie, Glenn and Carol to provide sentry and fence duties. Carl had pitched in with watch tower and walking the perimeter fences but Rick was trying to ween the young teenager off the gruesome tasks whilst he was still in recovery over his mother's recent death.

Carol sighed heavily, as much as she loved Rick's little girl she was desperate for a little rest. It had been another long, sultry day up in the tower and all she wanted was a few moments peace in the cool dark cell. "Sure, Rick. Bring her along to me a little later when you're ready to go." None of her thoughts were visible on her face as she answered his plea with a small smile.

"Thanks, Carol. I'd ask Beth, but she's had her all day and I know she wants to spend time with her Dad this evening." Rick brushed a hand along Carol's arm in thanks and lopped off down the corridor in search of his son.

"Sure, and I've only been in the tower all day…God Carol you're such a whine ass!" Carol grumbled to herself as she continued up the steps to her cell block inwardly berating herself for her thoughts. She was interrupted again by Jeanne, a recent arrival at the prison from Woodbury. Jeanne was a bubbly, young brunette who seemed to be a firm favourite with the younger members of the group for her love of a good laugh.

"Hey, Carol. Do you think you could give me a hand with dinner prep this evening? Karen was supposed to be helping me but she's taken perimeter watch with Tyreese. I think she just wants to watch him personally, but what do I know? So, can you?" Jeanne had a habit of stringing all of her sentences together without pause and made the assumption that you would but in if you didn't agree with anything she said. As Carol was too tired to disagree, Jeanne squeezed her arm and waved a thanks as she bounced off back to the kitchen.

"Somehow I don't think that I'll be getting that long shower or nap this evening." Carol shook her head slowly as she wondered how on earth she had agreed to not only pull a double watch, but help with dinner prep on the only evening that she wasn't slated to cook and then babysit a restless infant whilst everyone else seemed to be out enjoying themselves. Glenn and Maggie were due for the overnight watch tower, with Karen and Tyreese on perimeter duties and Hershel in the medical wing there weren't very many other people around. There were about another ten people that were staying from Woodbury but Rick had them housed in a separate cell block and they didn't tend to meet up unless it was for meals. They were the latest arrivals and it was just too soon for them th be considered part of the family group.

As she walked up the final steps that led to C block, Carol was unaware that she was being observed by someone who was getting more and more irate at the way other people took advantage of her generous nature. He had arrived back from the run just in time to see Rick ask her to watch the baby and then for that brunette, to ask her to help with dinner. Didn't anyone else around her care that she was near worn out? He stepped back into the adjacent cell as Carol drew near, grateful that she was too busy looking down at her feet to notice him there.

Carol entered her cell and flopped wearily down onto the edge of the thin mattress and just sat there for a moment staring at her tan hiking boots. It had been a long hot day, and she had just returned from watch duty in the tower. She had slipped into her cell for a few moments peace before starting dinner preparations for the group.

"Must remember to ask the guys to pick up a larger size diaper for Judith on the next run, she's just about ready to move up, and Hershel asked if they could be on the lookout for more antiseptic and bandages, too." Carole reached over to jot a note on the notepad she kept by the side of the bed, muttering to herself all the while. As she leant over the pillow she heard a rustling noise coming from under her top blanket. She poked her hand under the worn cover to see what was making the noise and pulled out a small bar of rose scented soap and body lotion; the kind that you would normally see in a gift basket or as a complimentary gift in an uptown hotel. Carol raised the bar to her nose and inhaled deeply. God, it had been so long she had smelt anything quite so feminine. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, taking the scent deep into her nostrils and holding it there. As she sniffed a stray earthier scent hit the back of her nostrils, making her look over to where a shadow fell against the entrance of the door. As soon as she went to rise to her feet the shadow melted away and she ran a hand over her eyes, "Must be more tired than I thought, I could have sworn that I saw Daryl for a moment."

"Stupid redneck, ya almost blew it. Knew you shoulda showered first." He scuffed his feet together as he melted back unseen and muttered to himself under his breath. He was second in command to Rick at the prison and for a short time had taken over as leader whilst Rick dealt with the horrific aftermath of his wife's death during childbirth just a few short months ago. It had taken Rick a little time to come to terms with Lori's passing and even now still relied on Daryl to make decisions for the group when it came to going on longer runs. Daryl didn't want to name the feelings that he had for Carol, it started off as admiration when Carol volunteered to be the one to take a pick axe to her abusive husband's head after he had been bitted when their camp had been overrun near Atlanta.

"_I'll do it, he was my husband." Carol reached over and plucked the pick axe from Daryl's hand and calmly swung it to cleave Ed's skull in two. Daryl could only watch in amazement as the delicate looking woman swung the axe again and again, seemingly unconcerned that just the one blow had been enough to prevent the man from rising up again. _

Then it was pity when they searched in vain for her missing daughter, Sophia. The rest of the group had been prepared to give up their presence on the Highway when Rick's son had been shot whilst out looking for Sophia. He didn't know what made him so determined to find that little girl, despite the fact that Carol herself seemed to think that the chance to find her alive were slowly seeming more and more impossible by the day.

"_I thought that you might be hungry, I brought you some dinner." Carol quietly entered the bedroom with a plated meal on a tray. Daryl rolled over quickly but carefully in bed to bring the sheets up to cover his bare chest. He had found Sophia's little rag doll in a ravine but had been pierced in the side by one of his own arrows whilst trying to bring that little piece of her daughter back to her. What made it worse was when Andrea had mistaken him for a walker when he finally did make it back to the farm and had taken a shot at him; luckily she had missed and the bullet merely creased the side of his head. He looked over to find Carol staring quietly at him and gasped as she lay the tray down and kissed him gently on the forehead._

"_I just wanted you to know that you have done more for my little girl in the past few days than her own father did for her in his whole life. Thank you."_

It only made things worse to discover that all the time they had been seeking sanctuary on Hershel's farm, Sophia had been locked in the barn on the property along with several other Walkers. He could only hold her close to him as they watched the creature that used to be Sophia stumble out of the barn hungry for flesh. He watched as Rick stepped up and raised the pistol covering Carol's hand with his own and feeling his own heart breaking just the same as hers. He didn't know what made him stay with her in the RV whilst she fell apart, they spoke not a word the whole time he was in there but he needed to be there for her anyway.

His feelings had slowly developed into something more when Carol resolved not to become a weeping mess in the group but to train herself to a stronger and defiant fighter. He had been hiding in the shadows once before when Carol had shaken off the pity that Rick and Lori had shown her one evening and had overheard her stating that she had 'only lost her daughter and not her mind.' He remembered nearly feeling overwhelmed with panic on that final night at the farm when they had been overrun with walkers and forced to leave. Andrea had paired up with Carol and he knew that the blonde hellion was good with a firearm so he had thought they would be safe together.

'_Daryl circled back on his chopper, swerving along the dusty road as the group separated as soon as he heard the scream that pierced his heart through the night air. He revved the engine and raced around to the rear of the property where he had last seen Andrea and Carol head off towards the woodland. He couldn't see Andrea but was amazed to see Carol brandishing a wooden club as she tried to fight off several walkers looking like some kind of warrior princess. Merle would have called him a pansy assed baby for the tears that prickled behind his eyes as he soon as he saw she was still alive. _

"_Git on then, can't wait around here all night." His gruff words hid the fact that he was battling to hide his true emotions from her. The fact that she had made it through and Andrea, that tough broad, hadn't; well it truly amazed him.'_

Daryl remained out of sight in the shadow of the doorway silently watching over the woman that remained in his thoughts constantly. Carol had slowly poured a little of the rose scented lotion out of the bottle into her hand and was gently rubbing it into the skin of her forearm. Daryl felt his mouth run dry as he watched her smoothing her hand up and down her arm, his eyes tracking every movement. He felt like a peeping Tom and could only imagine what Merle would have said at that point – _"Well if it isn't little Darlena, stuck at lookin' at a woman when he shoulda' bin pokin' about at her instead." _ He couldn't help himself from looking again though and noticed that Carol had slumped over on the pillow, worn out from her watch duties still holding that little bottle of lotion in her hand. He moved out into the hallway, stationed himself just outside of the door and pulled down the blanket that Carol used as a privacy screen. It was one thing for him to watch his woman but he'd be damned if he would let anyone else sneak a peak! It was only then that Daryl realised something, he had finally admitted to himself that he thought of Carol as HIS woman, just what was he supposed to do about that now?


	2. Chapter 2

**Daryl kept watch outside of Carol's small cell, preventing anyone from disturbing her as she slumbered. He stopped Jeanne from entering when she came along to see why Carol hadn't turned up to help in the kitchen like she had promised.**

**"****Daryl, come on let me in. Carol promised to lend me a hand tonight so that Karen can go out walkin' with Tyreese."**

**"****You ain't goin' in there. She's sleepin'." Daryl crossed his wiry arms over his chest and planted his feet firmly in position to prevent Jeanne from brushing past him. "Now be quiet 'fore you wake her."**

**"****But Daryl…!" Jeanne protested, she hadn't a clue how to go about preparing a meal for the whole group and had been relying on Carol's knowledge to get by.**

**"****Don't you 'But Daryl' me! Y'all need to try and get along without her for one night. She's just come off a double watch shift and she needs to rest up. Git along to the kitchen and mind you don't come back again unless it's to send back a plate of food for her." Daryl pushed Jeanne out along the corridor and resumed his post, only now he was sprawled out across the floor of the entryway; tiredness seeping into his bones but determined not to give in…**

**He must have nodded off as he jerked upright when he heard a low groan from within the cell.**

**"****Carol? You alright in there? It's me, Daryl and I'm comin' in." Daryl pushed the blanket aside and stepped through to see a very cranky Carol pushing herself upright on the bed and rubbing her forehead.**

**"****Daryl, when did you get back? I was supposed to be giving Jeanne a hand with dinner…" She rested her aching head against her palm and muttered wearily – "I'm getting too old for all of this crap…"**

**"****Hey, don't talk like that!" Daryl sat down next to her on the cot and saw that she was near to tears. He gently rubbed circles into the small of her back, trying to offer a little comfort. "You've only got a few years up on me."**

**"****Yeah, but today I'm feeling every one of them. I've got such a headache and I'm just soooo tired." Carol slumped against Daryl's shoulder and felt his arm wrap around her fully, she gave him her full body weight and to be honest he barely felt it.**

**"****You bin eatin' right woman? Feels like you've lost a little weight." Daryl pressed her head fully against his shoulder, enjoying the feel of her pressed against him.**

**"****Not had much of an appetite over the last few days, too tired to eat really. Besides the kids needed it more than I did." Carol muttered crankily, not feeling at all like herself. **

**"****Mmmm, we'll soon see about that." Daryl retorted darkly, she needed to eat to stay strong and healthy, God knows there was little to go around lately but there was enough for everyone to have at least one full meal a day, more when they had fresh meat. "Come on, Carol. It's a little cooler outside now, let's go for a little walk to try and clear your head. You might have more of an appetite when you've had a bit of fresh air." Daryl nudged her head off his shoulder and pulled her to her feet, chuckling a little at her disgruntled expression.**

**"****You just wait Daryl Dixon until you're asleep in your cot. One night, I'm gonna come in and drag you out of bed just see if I don't!**

**"****Promises, promises!"**

**"****Are you flirtin' with me Mr. Dixon?" Carol asked suspiciously, what had brought about this sudden change of character? Daryl usually resisted all attempts at light hearted banter and shrugged it off with his usual scowl. This time however, it seemed as though the tables had turned and Carol wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.**

**"****Might be, do ya mind?" He turned his head to look at her from under his messy hair, eyes twinkling but still feeling a little wary. Carol attempted a weak grin and pushed his fallen hair back so that it didn't hide his beautiful blue eyes.**

**"****Might, might not. Ask me again when I'm feeling a little more with it." **

**"****I'll hold you to that. Come on let's go for a little walk, see whether it makes you feel better." Daryl wrapped his arm around her waist and led her down the steps into the main cell block. He waved aside everyone that they passed, including a puzzled looking Rick who had been on his way up with Judith.**

**"****Sorry, Rick but Carol's not up to babysitting just now. I'm taking her outside for a little fresh air. You'll just have to take Ass Kicker along with you or find someone else to watch her." **

**"****It's gonna kick up a storm soon, don't be out there too long." Hershel warned as Daryl led Carol through the kitchen. "I can feel it in my leg, wouldn't be surprised if we had some heavy rain tonight."**

**"****Is that in the leg that you do have or the one that you don't?" Daryl could hear Glenn ask from behind him and then the resounding slap of Maggie's hand against the side of his head.**

**"****That boy's gotta learn when to shut his face…." Daryl commented as he and Carol slowly walked past the yard and out into the green area. He'd been right in the fact that it had cooled off a lot since Carol finished her watch, so much so that she shivered a little in the cool air. Daryl noticed and shrugged out of his flannel overcoat to wrap it around her shoulders. Carol snuggled into the overcoat still warm from his body and rubbed her nose against the collar to breathe in his scent.**

**"****I love the smell on your clothes when you've returned back from hunting."**

**"****You sayin' I stink or somethin'?" Daryl turned to half face her, Carol had her eyes closed and so missed his smiling expression.**

**"****No! I just meant that it smells fresh and outdoorsy…" Carol started to explain and then snapped her eyes open when she heard him snort a chuckle and saw him wink back at her. "Oh, you….I told you already, no flirting until I feel well enough to retaliate." **

**"****Okay, how about we walk just a little ways further and just enjoy the company?" Daryl nudged her shoulder playfully and saw Carol wince a little as the motion made her head ache even more. "What if we just went back inside and sit quietly together for a little while?" He offered gently and felt oddly humbled when Carol slipped her hand under his to take hold of his hand, keeping it down and out of sight of anyone that might be watching.**

**"****I think I'd like that a lot." They turned to slowly walk back into the prison yard, just as they got to the kitchen door Carol swayed on her feet and Daryl quickly placed a hand out to steady her. "Whoa…don't want you falling over now…Carol….Carol!" Daryl watched as the colour drained out of her face and he only just managed to catch her before she slumped to the floor in a dead faint. "Hershel! Rick! Someone git out here now…..!"**


	3. Chapter 3

At Daryl's frantic cry everyone that had gathered in the kitchen area for dinner rushed out into the yard on the assumption that there was a Walker attack in the grounds. When they saw a woozy Carol coming around in his arms there panic turned to concern with Rick leading Hershel straight over.

"What happened? Carol can you hear me?" Hershel laid a hand against Carol's forehead and hissed in concern. "Daryl, I need you to get her over to medical as soon as you can, she's burning up! Everyone else just stay back until I figure out what's going on. Does anyone else feel at all unwell?" He scanned across the faces of the group and when no one stepped forward he nodded in satisfaction. "I need anyone that has come into direct contact with Carol today to come over with us, the rest of you can go back in and finish dinner." Only Rick and Jeanne stepped in place to join Daryl in escorting Carol over to medical, as the rest of the group made their way back over to the main block talking in hushed voices and wondering what was wrong.

Rick noticed that Carol was weaving on her feet and muttering incoherently under her breath, he stepped forward to offer a supporting hand only to be stopped by a low growl rumbling from Daryl's chest. "Okay, then I'll just get the door. What can I do to help Hershel?" Rick propped open the door to the former medical wing where Hershel had laid out his scant medical supplies. It was a fairly large block with an open exam room set in the centre and smaller isolated cells running along each wall. Hershel indicated for Daryl to help Carol into one of these cells and held up a hand to prevent Rick and Jeanne from following them inside.

"Rick, I need you and Jeanne to describe your contact with Carol over the last few days; and then you each need to sit a while in separate cells until I can be certain what we are dealing with. Rick, you go first…"

"I didn't see anything of her at all yesterday as I was out in the garden for most of the day and she had kitchen duties. Today we spoke out in the hall a few hours ago when she got off watch and I asked her to have Judith for a little while this evening." Rick thought back over the events of the day and for once was glad that Carol had pulled a double shift; her being away from the group had isolated her from the possibility of spreading whatever infection she might have.

"Alright then, did you come into close contact with her at all at any point?"

"No, I don't think so…" began Rick, only to be interrupted by a grunt from Daryl who was crouched next to the cot, hovering over a prone Carol. "What?"

"You touched her arm. And so did Jeanne here when she asked for help with dinner tonight." Hershel looked over at the woman in question, with concern in his eyes.

"And did she help with the food preparation at all?" He was concerned that if this was a viral infection Carol could have inadvertently passed it to anyone that had ingested anything that she may have touched.

"No – because HE wouldn't let me near her! Carol didn't show up in the kitchen, so I went up to her cell…."Jeanne explained and Hershel nodded his head in understanding.

"Uggghh, think I'm gonna hurl…." Carol clutched her middle groaning, not knowing what hurt the most, her head or stomach.

"Okay, I think I've heard enough for now. Rick, Jeanne just take a seat in one of the cells next door while I try to make Carol more comfortable." Hershel waved them away and crouched as best he could next to the cot and looked closer at his patient. "Carol, have you had anything to eat or drink today that made you feel strange in anyway?" Hershel gently palpitated her stomach watching her face closely for any discomfort.

"Nothing since breakfast, wasn't really hungry as it was just so hot…had a water bottle with me up in the tower." Carol groaned a little at the cramps and fell back against the thin pillow. "Hershel, I'm just so tired…I'm sure I will be fine if I could just have a little nap, not appendix as had that taken out when I was little…could you open a window or something, I feel like I'm burning up?"

"Carol honey, I think you have a touch of plain old heat exhaustion. You haven't eaten properly or drunk nearly enough. As soon as we get your temperature down a bit and get some fluids into you I think you'll start feeling a whole lot better." Hershel checked her heart with his stethoscope and noted that it was beating rapidly, that along with her extreme fatigue; fainting spell and nausea all pointed towards heat exhaustion or sun stroke. "Daryl, do you want to poke your head out to Rick and let him and Jeanne know that it's safe for them to leave? I'll get some water and a cloth and try to bring down Carol's temperature."

"No offence, Hershel – you may be the closest thing to a doc that we have but if you think I'm gonna stand here and watch you strip down my woman, I may just have to break your fingers." Daryl made an attempt at levity but failed miserably. Hershel turned his face away to hide the smile that crept across his face at what the other man had just inadvertently revealed before turning back to address the other man quite sternly.

"Daryl, this is no time for you to get your back up. It's real important that we get Carol's body temperature under control as quickly as possible, it can be dangerous if it gets too high. Either let me take care of her or let me send over for Maggie."

"Just tell me what to do and I'll take care of her, don't need anyone else interfering – Carol wouldn't like it. Hershel - she's got some terrible scars from that no good husband of hers and she wouldn't want everyone gawpin'." Daryl was resolute that he would be the one taking care of Carol and would not be persuaded otherwise. Hershel sighed heavily and got awkwardly to his feet, his missing lower leg making it difficult to rise up from a crouching position.

"Alright, you can start by removing her shirt and pants and I'll go and get a bowl and some water. I need to make up a saline type solution for her as well to try and get some fluids back into her system safely. Well get to it then, don't just stand there starin' at her!" Hershel added as Daryl made no move to start removing Carol's sweat stained clothing. Daryl unclenched his suddenly nervous fingers and bent over body.

"Tryin' to get into my pants, Dixon?" came the weak response from below, making him freeze his movements, and left him struggling for an explanation.

"Thought you were out of it….He..Hershel says we need to get you cooled down. Do you want me to get someone else…?" Daryl went to straighten up, prepared to call the other man back into the small cell.

"No….it's not a pretty sight and I'm too tired for explanations…So hot still…" Carol raised a fluttering hand to prevent him moving away completely and struggled to assist with undoing her shirt buttons. Daryl bent back down and gently moved her fingers out of the way, he swiftly undid the rest of the buttons and gently lifted her up to remove her arms from the short sleeves.

"Pants too. Then we'll give you a nice cool bath…" Hershel entered the cell at that moment and sat on the cot opposite with the bowl and cloths in hand.

"I'LL give you a nice cool bath, you just keep your hands to yourself." Daryl muttered to the other man and finished removing Carol's pants and hiking boots; all the while trying to keep his mind focused on the task ahead rather than the fact that she was sprawled out across the cot in nothing but a few brief scraps of cotton and lace. He reached over for the cloths and placed them on Carol's forehead and upper chest before taking another one and wiping her face gently. He dipped the cloth into the cool water, wrung it out and gently smoothed it down her arms before repeating the process again with her legs and face again. "I think that it's working, she doesn't seem as flushed now, and I think she's drifted off to sleep." Daryl continued to change the cloths placed over Carol's body and checked her forehead with the back of his hand.

"Keep that up for a while longer, we'll let her sleep for a little while but we will need to wake her in a bit to get some fluid into her system. I've made up a simple solution that's water with a little salt and sugar added. We'll need to wake her every half an hour throughout the night to make sure that she's only given short sips – too much and she'll just reject it. I'll go over and have a word with Maggie and Beth and we can take turns during the night." As Daryl started to object, Hershel placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder to stop him. "Don't argue with me son, you've only just returned from a long run yourself and I know you haven't eaten since you've been back. If you want to take care of Carol; then you need to take care of yourself first. I'll be back shortly." Hershel left the cell and made his way over to the main block to arrange shifts for the rest of the night.

Daryl continued to wipe down Carol's body, towelling her off every now and then to make sure that she didn't catch a chill. When he was satisfied that she was resting comfortably, he pulled a light cotton sheet up to cover the worst of the scars across the top of her thighs and abdomen leaving her upper chest exposed to the cooler air. He gently placed her arms above the sheet and sat there in silence, just holding one hand in both of his own staring into her now relaxed features. Now that the initial panic and fear had receded his adrenaline high had left his body, leaving him feeling completely wrung out. It had seemed like hours since they came over to medical but from looking at the shadows stretching out across the floor, he reckoned it had been no more than an hour or two at the most. He let himself slide to the floor alongside the edge of the cot and rested his head against the back wall. His blinked hard to prevent himself from closing his eyes but exhaustion pulled him under and he fell asleep still clasping Carol's hand lightly in his own.

At Daryl's frantic cry everyone that had gathered in the kitchen area for dinner rushed out into the yard on the assumption that there was a Walker attack imminent. When they saw a woozy Carol coming around in his arms there panic turned to concern with Rick leading Hershel straight over.

"What happened? Carol can you hear me?" Hershel laid a hand against Carol's forehead and hissed in concern. "Daryl, I need you to get her over to medical as soon as you can, she's burning up! Everyone else just stay back until I figure out what's going on. Does anyone else feel at all unwell?" He scanned across the faces of the group and when no one stepped forward he nodded in satisfaction. "I need anyone that has come into direct contact with Carol today to come over with us, the rest of you can go back in and finish dinner." Only Rick and Jeanne stepped in place to join Daryl in escorting Carol over to medical, as the rest of the group made their way back over to the main block talking in hushed voices and wondering what was wrong.

Rick noticed that Carol was weaving on her feet and muttering incoherently under her breath, he stepped forward to offer a supporting hand only to be stopped by a low growl rumbling from Daryl's chest. "Okay, then I'll just get the door. What can I do to help Hershel?" Rick propped open the door to the former medical wing where Hershel had laid out his scant medical supplies. It was a fairly large block with an open exam room set in the centre and smaller isolated cells running along each wall. Hershel indicated for Daryl to help Carol into one of these cells and held up a hand to prevent Rick and Jeanne from following them inside.

"Rick, I need you and Jeanne to describe your contact with Carol over the last few days; and then you each need to sit a while in separate cells until I can be certain what we are dealing with. Rick, you go first…"

"I didn't see anything of her at all yesterday as I was out in the garden for most of the day and she had kitchen duties. Today we spoke out in the hall a few hours ago when she got off watch and I asked her to have Judith for a little while this evening." Rick thought back over the events of the day and for once was glad that Carol had pulled a double shift; her being away from the group had isolated her from the possibility of spreading whatever infection she might have.

"Alright then, did you come into close contact with her at all at any point?"

"No, I don't think so…" began Rick, only to be interrupted by a grunt from Daryl who was crouched next to the cot, hovering over a prone Carol. "What?"

"You touched her arm. And so did Jeanne here when she asked for help with dinner tonight." Hershel looked over at the woman in question, with concern in his eyes.

"And did she help with the food preparation at all?" He was concerned that if this was a viral infection Carol could have inadvertently passed it to anyone that had ingested anything that she may have touched.

"No – because HE wouldn't let me near her! Carol didn't show up in the kitchen, so I went up to her cell…."Jeanne explained and Hershel nodded his head in understanding.

"Uggghh, think I'm gonna hurl…." Carol clutched her middle groaning, not knowing what hurt the most, her head or stomach.

"Okay, I think I've heard enough for now. Rick, Jeanne just take a seat in one of the cells next door while I try to make Carol more comfortable." Hershel waved them away and crouched as best he could next to the cot and looked closer at his patient. "Carol, have you had anything to eat or drink today that made you feel strange in anyway?" Hershel gently palpitated her stomach watching her face closely for any discomfort.

"Nothing since breakfast, wasn't really hungry as it was just so hot…had a water bottle with me up in the tower." Carol groaned a little at the cramps and fell back against the thin pillow. "Hershel, I'm just so tired…I'm sure I will be fine if I could just have a little nap, not appendix as had that taken out when I was little…could you open a window or something, I feel like I'm burning up?"

"Carol honey, I think you have a touch of plain old heat exhaustion. You haven't eaten properly or drunk nearly enough. As soon as we get your temperature down a bit and get some fluids into you I think you'll start feeling a whole lot better." Hershel checked her heart with his stethoscope and noted that it was beating rapidly, that along with her extreme fatigue; fainting spell and nausea all pointed towards heat exhaustion or sun stroke. "Daryl, do you want to poke your head out to Rick and let him and Jeanne know that it's safe for them to leave? I'll get some water and a cloth and try to bring down Carol's temperature."

"No offence, Hershel – you may be the closest thing to a doc that we have but if you think I'm gonna stand here and watch you strip down my woman, I may just have to break your fingers." Daryl made an attempt at levity but failed miserably. Hershel turned his face away to hide the smile that crept across his face at what the other man had just inadvertently revealed before turning back to address the other man quite sternly.

"Daryl, this is no time for you to get your back up. It's real important that we get Carol's body temperature under control as quickly as possible, it can be dangerous if it gets too high. Either let me take care of her or let me send over for Maggie."

"Just tell me what to do and I'll take care of her, don't need anyone else interfering – Carol wouldn't like it. Hershel - she's got some terrible scars from that no good husband of hers and she wouldn't want everyone gawpin'." Daryl was resolute that he would be the one taking care of Carol and would not be persuaded otherwise. Hershel sighed heavily and got awkwardly to his feet, his missing lower leg making it difficult to rise up from a crouching position.

"Alright, you can start by removing her shirt and pants and I'll go and get a bowl and some water. I need to make up a saline type solution for her as well to try and get some fluids back into her system safely. Well get to it then, don't just stand there starin' at her!" Hershel added as Daryl made no move to start removing Carol's sweat stained clothing. Daryl unclenched his suddenly nervous fingers and bent over body.

"Tryin' to get into my pants, Dixon?" came the weak response from below, making him freeze his movements, and left him struggling for an explanation.

"Thought you were out of it….He..Hershel says we need to get you cooled down. Do you want me to get someone else…?" Daryl went to straighten up, prepared to call the other man back into the small cell.

"No….it's not a pretty sight and I'm too tired for explanations…So hot still…" Carol raised a fluttering hand to prevent him moving away completely and struggled to assist with undoing her shirt buttons. Daryl bent back down and gently moved her fingers out of the way, he swiftly undid the rest of the buttons and gently lifted her up to remove her arms from the short sleeves.

"Pants too. Then we'll give you a nice cool bath…" Hershel entered the cell at that moment and sat on the cot opposite with the bowl and cloths in hand.

"I'LL give you a nice cool bath, you just keep your hands to yourself." Daryl muttered to the other man and finished removing Carol's pants and hiking boots; all the while trying to keep his mind focused on the task ahead rather than the fact that she was sprawled out across the cot in nothing but a few brief scraps of cotton and lace. He reached over for the cloths and placed them on Carol's forehead and upper chest before taking another one and wiping her face gently. He dipped the cloth into the cool water, wrung it out and gently smoothed it down her arms before repeating the process again with her legs and face again. "I think that it's working, she doesn't seem as flushed now, and I think she's drifted off to sleep." Daryl continued to change the cloths placed over Carol's body and checked her forehead with the back of his hand.

"Keep that up for a while longer, we'll let her sleep for a little while but we will need to wake her in a bit to get some fluid into her system. I've made up a simple solution that's water with a little salt and sugar added. We'll need to wake her every half an hour throughout the night to make sure that she's only given short sips – too much and she'll just reject it. I'll go over and have a word with Maggie and Beth and we can take turns during the night." As Daryl started to object, Hershel placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder to stop him. "Don't argue with me son, you've only just returned from a long run yourself and I know you haven't eaten since you've been back. If you want to take care of Carol; then you need to take care of yourself first. I'll be back shortly." Hershel left the cell and made his way over to the main block to arrange shifts for the rest of the night.

Daryl continued to wipe down Carol's body, towelling her off every now and then to make sure that she didn't catch a chill. When he was satisfied that she was resting comfortably, he pulled a light cotton sheet up to cover the worst of the scars across the top of her thighs and abdomen leaving her upper chest exposed to the cooler air. He gently placed her arms above the sheet and sat there in silence, just holding one hand in both of his own staring into her now relaxed features. Now that the initial panic and fear had receded his adrenaline high had left his body, leaving him feeling completely wrung out. It had seemed like hours since they came over to medical but from looking at the shadows stretching out across the floor, he reckoned it had been no more than an hour or two at the most. He let himself slide to the floor alongside the edge of the cot and rested his head against the back wall. His blinked hard to prevent himself from closing his eyes but exhaustion pulled him under and he fell asleep still clasping Carol's hand lightly in his own.


	4. Chapter 4

_'__Sometimes late at night, I lie awake and watch her sleeping…'_ It was in that same position that Rick found him in a short while later. Hershel had taken him aside in the kitchen and had sent him along to try and persuade Daryl to go and get something to eat. Rick had a suspicion that Daryl was feeling a darn sight more than simple friendly concern when it came to Carol; although he would never allow himself to act upon those feelings and despite the fact that Carol clearly adored him. Looking at the way Daryl kept hold of Carol's hand, even in sleep proved more to Rick than any overused words of sentiments ever could. He stood in the doorway with a slight smile upon his handsome face, feeling almost as if he were intruding on something quite private. He coughed slightly to announce his presence and almost immediately Daryl dropped his hold on Carol and opened his eyes, at full alert like the hunter he was. "Wassit?" "Hershel said you needed to eat…" "Not hungry…" "…So I brought you up a plate, this way you can eat and still take care of Carol at the same time." Rick continued, ignoring Daryl's protests and placing a plate of cold cuts down on the floor next to the man. He leant over to look at Carol's prone body. "How's she doing?" "Better now, her temp's gone down and she's sleeping okay. Hershel said to wake her in a little while to get her to swallow some liquids." Daryl ignored the plate of food and reached over to tug the sheet a little higher up Carol's chest. Rick turned his face away, hiding his smile at the gruff man's caring actions. "Have you ever told her how you feel?" Rick asked quietly taking a seat on the cot opposite where Carol was lying. "You been at those magic 'shrooms again, Deputy Dawg?" Daryl muttered, picking at the tinned ham on the plate; not having an appetite but doing anything to avoid the question. "Come on Daryl, you're good at a lot of things, but you cain't hide away from this forever. What would you have done if Carol hadn't made it today?" Rick pressed for an answer, Daryl kept his face turned away pretending an avid interest in the congealed meat. "My biggest regret is letting the situation with Shane get in between me and Lori. She died without me telling her just how much I loved her. Don't let my mistakes become yours too. I was too stubborn to forgive her and she was too pissed at me about Carl to forgive me, we wasted so much time..." "Carol ain't Lori and she sure as hell ain't dyin' today!" "Well what if it were something worse, or you lying on the bed? What would you feel like then? I'm just sayin' that I made a promise to myself to not let a day go past without tellin' my kids how much they mean to me. We've all lost so many people in our lives and we don't get that second chance to tell them how we feel." "Christ Almighty, Rick you sound like you swallowed Country's Corniest Hits! Weren't that some old Garth Brooks song?" "Hey – don't knock GB! The words are pure and the sentiment true. I heard Beth playing it on her CD player just after Lori passed and it struck a chord with me. Just think about it for a while…" Rick stood up from the cot and patted Daryl on the shoulder as he stepped over him on the way to the door. "Oh, and Daryl? When Maggie gets here, do me a favour and take a shower? Hate to be the one to say it – but you stink somethin' awful!" Rick dodged out of the way as Daryl threw the spare pillow at him, and continued down the corridor whistling the song they had spoken about as he went. Daryl went back to picking at the plate of food, mulling over Rick's words in his head. He hated the thought of revealing his innermost feelings to the world, but also hated the thought of Carol never knowing just how much he really cared. He sighed heavily and set the plate aside so that he could reach for Carol's hand once more. She stirred slightly on the bed and muttered something under her breath. Daryl leant forward anxiously. "Carol? Come on, that's the way…" Daryl encouraged her to come around and was rewarded when she opened her eyes slowly and tried to sit up. "Oh no you don't, just rest easy for a bit. Settle back down…that's it." Daryl pressed her gently back against the thin pillow and smoothed the covers into place. "Try and stay awake, okay? I just need to get Hershel, ssh…don't try and talk." Daryl took a last look at her and crossed over to peer out of the doorway, he couldn't see Maggie or Hershel at first but then noticed them quietly conversing a few cells over. He waved them across to the cell and stood just outside the doorway whilst Hershel entered with Maggie to examine Carol more closely. "Carol, can you hear me properly?" Hershel asked as he shone a small flashlight into her eyes to gauge her pupil's reaction. At her slight nod, he continued; taking her pulse and temperature. "You've had a close call, and you're in medical right now." Hershel stopped his exam at the slight tug on his shirtsleeve. He looked down at where Carol was looking at him with one eyebrow raised in question. "What happened? Well, it seems someone went on a double shift without properly taking care of herself…" Hershel leant into his bag and withdrew a small bottle filled with a colourless liquid. "Here, take a small sip of this." He raised the bottle to her lips and she took a swallow, closely followed by a sneer of disgust. "What…?"She sputtered as the salty liquid hit her taste buds and wrinkled up her nose. "It's water with a little salt and sugar to balance your electrolytes out. You were out in near Saharan temperatures, you've been giving your rations away and clearly not drinking enough. Needless to say you gave us all a fright, especially poor Daryl here." "Daryl…why?" Carol knew that Daryl had been in the cell with her when she woke up but didn't remember much of what happened out in the yard. She did remember an attempt at a slight flirtation but then it was a complete blank…until a strange dream that involved Rick and Daryl dressed in matching Garth Brooks outfits singing something about regrets and loving someone… "You near fainted clean away, if it weren't for Daryl you'd have been face down in the yard dirt." Maggie stated drily, watching a flush of colour rising over the hunter's cheeks. "I feel fine now, can't I get up?" Carol struggled to raise herself up on her elbows and then let out a shocked gasp when she realised that she was only dressed in her underwear. She sank back down on the cot and pulled the covers up to her armpits. "I think I'll go take that shower now. Carol, glad you're feelin' better." Daryl made his escape quickly, not wanting to stick around long enough for her to discover just how long they had been alone in the cell together. He wasn't quick enough however, to escape from the sounds of her aggravated yelling down the corridor after him. "Daryl Dixon! You just wait….!" "Guess Maggie told her that it was me that took her clothes off…" Daryl smirked a little at the thought and headed toward the shower block. As he stood under the cool spray he thought back on what Rick had said and wondered how he would have felt if Carol's condition had worsened or even worse if he lost her completely. "Shit! I guess the Deputy was right all along. How the frickin' hell am I gonna tell her without feelin' completely stupid?" 


	5. Chapter 5

_'__Did I try in every way to show her every day, that she's my only one…'_

Daryl decided the best course of action for the present, was to take no action. Instead he recruited Carl and Beth as his ambassador's to report back how Carol was feeling throughout the next couple of days.

As soon as Hershel decreed that Carol was fit enough to return to mainstream population, Daryl organised a hunting trip to ensure that there was fresh meat on the table every night. He had Maggie set aside the best and most nutritious of the meats to make up into tempting meals to encourage her appetite. He took over the duties of organising requirements for the town runs and slipped in little extras for her, like an extra pair of socks or a book by her favourite author; having Carl or Beth present them to her as a surprise.

It took Carol a couple of days to notice Daryl's conspicuous absence, and she just figured that he was beginning to regret their slight flirtation. She couldn't blame him after all, he must have seen the extent of her scarring when he was wiping her down and it must have been a complete turn off. She was also beginning to feel a little smothered by all of the sudden attention, and finally snapped when Beth came in one afternoon with yet another trinket in the form of her favourite brand of tea.

"I don't need another cup of tea, Beth! These supplies should be going into the central stores, I appreciate the gesture but y'all need to give it a rest." Carol realised how shrewish she sounded, and leant over to offer the startled young teenager a hug. "Sorry, Bethie. I didn't mean to take it out on you, I just need to get back into the swing of things around here. I'm not an invalid and I'm sick of being treated like one. I need to see Rick and get back onto the watch rota and start pulling my weight again."

"Ummm – he's in the kitchen, but it's Daryl that's been doing the rota lately, not Rick." Beth said hesitantly, wondering whether to tell Carol that Rick had been badgering Daryl for days now for Carol to restart her duties and that Daryl was still insisting that she wasn't up to it.

"Okay, sweetie." Carol squeezed Beth's arm in passing and headed over to the kitchen area in search of the elusive Daryl. As she neared the doorway she could hear the low masculine tones from within.

"I'm tellin' you Rick, I don't feel comfortable with her bein' out there. It's too soon…"

She pushed open the door and strolled into the kitchen to take a seat at the table in between the two men. "Don't you know it's rude to talk about people behind their back?"

"Good to see you're up and about, Carol." Rick leant over to place a swift kiss on her cheek, completely ignoring the black scowl sent over by Daryl at his actions.

"Oh, I've been fine for days, although you wouldn't think it – the way SOME people have been carrying on." Carol sent an arched look over at Daryl who just shrugged his shoulder.

"Haven't got a clue what you're talkin' about. I was jest sayin' to Rick here, that it's past time you took watch rota again."

"The heck you were!" Rick blustered, causing Carol to burst into laughter and she reached across the table to pat Daryl's hand.

"Honestly guys, it's very sweet of you to be concerned, but I'm absolutely fine and need to be doing something constructive with my time." Daryl twined his fingers with hers for a moment before pulling his hand back and clearing his throat.

"Okay, I'll pair you up for the next couple of shifts…" He held up a hand to stay her protests. "You can pair up with me so that I can keep an eye on you, that okay?" She smiled in return and conceded to his demands, knowing that it stemmed from his concern. "Okay, when do we start?"

"No time like the present, I was due to take over from Tyreese in a short while anyways." Daryl pushed back from the table and waited for Carol to join him at the door.

"Catch you later, Rick."

"Yeah, later." Rick shook his head at the sight of the pair of them leaving to take the watch. It never ceased to amaze him at the lengths Daryl would go to with this small woman; and yet he still couldn't tell her how he felt.

Carol and Daryl slipped back into their routine quickly when they reached the watch tower. Daryl taking a seat on the floor next to the door, with Carol sitting at a small table dealing out a pack of cards for solitaire. Hours passed and the day slipped away into night.

"Thanks for the socks and the book." Carol said quietly, she could see Daryl's posture change, becoming stiff and unwielding. How did she know that it was him? Had Carl or Beth slipped up?

"Don't know what you're talking about… what book?" Daryl continued to stare out into the night, eyes constantly scanning the darkness looking for potential threats. Carol lay down the deck of cards and moved across to sit next to Daryl on the floor. He reached up to the hook and removed a fleecy poncho and placed it across her legs before turning back to face the fence.

"I remembered a conversation we had about it, you made fun of me for thinking that Colin Firth was completely hot as Mr. Darcy, and there was a little inscription on the inside of the front cover, too."

"Huh…how a Brit can look completely hot wearing skin tight pants, I will never know…" Daryl hissed between his teeth as he realised that he had unintentionally revealed that he was indeed the mysterious benefactor. Carol smiled into his shoulder, and reached down to squeeze his hand.

"Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks."

"Welcome." Daryl didn't pull away from her touch, nor did he move closer. Carol just flipped the poncho over to cover both their legs and they remained just like that; hands clasped and shoulders touching until Glenn and Maggie relieved them at half past twelve.


	6. Chapter 6

_'__So tell that someone that you love, just what you're thinking of, if tomorrow never comes…'_

In the days and the weeks following Carol's return to normal duties, she and Daryl were spending more and more of their free time together. He went through each day expecting to hear some sort of ribald comments about their relationship, but was astonished when people seemed to ignore their pairing. He waited until he and Glenn were walking the perimeter fence together one day, and suddenly decided to get it out into the open.

"So, me and Carol. What's the story floatin' around the group, Glenn?"

"What do you mean? What about you and Carol?" Glenn was honestly puzzled at the question and wrinkled his brow in confusion. He stopped walking and spun around to face the hunter. "Wait! Do you mean that you and she….finally! That's great!"

"I mean, I expected some sort of snide comments from you or Maggie at least…" Daryl stopped walking as well as Glenn's words sunk in. "You really didn't know? I mean, it's not like we're sharin' a bunk or anything….We're just sorta…. When I think of some of the things we said about the two of you in the beginning. I was kinda expecting payback. You guys really didn't know?" Daryl rubbed his hand over his stubbly chin and peered over at the younger man, only to find him staring back, shaking his head.

"Trust me, Daryl. No one has a clue, it would have been all over the prison by now…and only because people love the idea of the two of you together. If you had started something with anyone else, well that would have made you fair game. But, Carol's special and we all love her dearly."

"Yeah, well. I appreciate it, just wanted you to know." Daryl muttered gruffly and turned on his heel to into the yard. He wasn't used to people acting decently toward him and didn't quite know what to say.

"Hey, Daryl. Want a little bit of advice from an old married man?" Glenn called after him. Daryl cocked up a brow and paused to listen. "Don't leave it too long without telling her how you feel, we never know how long we'll have with the people we love."

"What is it with people and that song? I ain't no touchy feely pansy; and she should know without me having to keep tellin' her alla time." Daryl bent his head down low, scuffing his boots in the dirt; his hair hanging forward to cover his eyes.

"Maybe if you told her just the once, she wouldn't have to keep hearing it all the time. I nearly left it too late with Maggie, I couldn't bring myself to say the words back to her. It was only on that last night on Hershel's farm that I finally said it. I waited until we were nearly killed before I could say it; even though I had felt it right from the start. We didn't know whether we would even make it through the night let alone the rest of our lives. Just tell her, Daryl."

"I cain't just blurt it out!"

"Do you trust me Daryl?" Glenn asked, at receiving Daryl's brief nod he bent forward to lay out a plan.

Later that evening, Carol went to her cell to pick up a towel in preparation for heading over to the shower block. Laying on her bed was Beth's CD player and a note which read – "Play Me." Carol sat on the bunk and switched on the music, placing the headphones over her ears. The melodious voice of Garth Brooks singing 'Shameless' filled her ears and she hummed along with the melody.

_'__I've never lost anything I've never missed; but I've never been in love like this…"_

As she continued to listen she noticed her copy of Pride and Prejudice, the book Daryl had given her when she was ill, lying open on her pillow. Next to the open page was a scrap of paper torn into the shape of a lopsided heart. Written on the paper in Daryl's familiar scrawl were the words - "Read Me".

Carol bent over the page to see that a passage was highlighted and underlined, she saw that it was part of Mr. Darcy's famous speech declaring his feelings for Elizabeth Bennet.

_"__You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire…and love you." _ Scrawled in the margin she could see that Daryl had added – "Ain't wearing those prissy pants, though!"

Carol hugged the book to her chest and leapt up from the cot, forgetting that she was still wearing the headphones. She untangled herself from the cord and raced out of the cell to track down the man she loved…

The hallway echoed with her fast footsteps as she raced down the main staircase in search of Daryl. There were pink chalked hearts along the walls, pointing the way to the lower block which housed the kitchen area and recreation room. Daryl had obviously roped in a few more volunteers for his grand gesture as the hearts varied in size and styles as she went on. The cells on both floors were conspicuously empty, not just of Daryl but for everyone. Once Glenn had revealed his plan to Daryl, both men bargained with Rick to empty C block for the evening and moving the group to temporary quarters over in medical, leaving the coast clear for Daryl to set the stage for his romantic declaration.

Carol's footsteps slowed as she neared the kitchen area, the overhead lights suddenly switching off; leaving her in semi darkness.

"Shit! Sorry 'bout that, didn't think it would go that dark!" Daryl called out an apology, cursing as he remembered Carol's fear of enclosed spaces. "Can you follow the sound of my voice?"

"Sure, it's a bit better now my eyes have adjusted…What's all this?" Carol saw a flickering light and followed the corridor into the kitchen; only to see Daryl seated at a small table lit by candles.

"Well, if you cain't tell, I might as well pack it in now…" Daryl nervously twisted his fingers around an old bedsheet that Maggie had lain over the table in place of a tablecloth.

"Just kiddin'. It looks lovely…" Carol sat down at the table and reached across to take hold of Daryl's hand. He noticed that she was still holding onto the book with the other one. Carol looked down and blushed slightly before laying it in her lap and looking into his eyes. "It was lovely Daryl, just perfect."

"I'm never gonna be the type of guy that can just spill out the words….So I thought I would let your Mr. Darcy say it for me…..You know that it's true though, right Carol?" Daryl stroked her hand gently with one long finger, tracing little circles into her palm.

"'Course I know, I think I've always known…" She whispered softly and looked at a beautifully bashful smile spread across his face.

"You have? How?"

"It's in everything that you do, and everything that you say. The way that you wouldn't let me go back on rotation too soon; the way you held my hand…just everything."

"And you….?" He asked hesitantly, it was almost beyond his wildest imaginings.

"I don't just flirt with ANYONE, Mr. Dixon! Only the special ones…I love you, Pookie." They both leant across the table and their lips met for the first time. Of all the kisses given and received in the past, this was the one that held most meaning. It wasn't particularly graceful, teeth bumped tongues clashed, or the most passionate by any stretch; but to the two souls at the table it was a kiss to heal shattered hearts and restore lost hope… Hope that if love could bloom amongst all of the horrors that had come to pass, then all was not lost and mankind would eventually triumph.

As their mouths parted and they shared a soft smile, Carol finally heard him whisper those three little words that she had been longing to hear for so long…

"Wanna screw around….?" She drew back to slug him, only to find that he had picked something up from where it had been resting inside his crossbow sheath. Daryl held out a single, silk red rose with a plush velvet ribbon tied around the stem. Attached to the ribbon were two sparkling circles of gold.

"Marry me, Carol?"


End file.
